Final Billy Connolly birthday mural unveiled in Glasgow

SCOTS comedy legend Billy Connolly has been honoured with a third giant mural in his home city of Glasgow.

The last of the murals to be unveiled was designed by John Byrne. Picture: BBC

The massive 50ft artwork is the last in a trio of murals celebrating the comedian’s 75th birthday. It has appeared on the side of a building on Osborne Street opposite Glasgow King Street car park and has been described by one Twitter user as “hard to miss”.

Commissioned by BBC Scotland, the hat-trick of Connolly murals have each been designed by a different artist.

The first, located at Dixon Street, was created by Jack Vettriano, while the second, showing Connolly in a bizarre but meaningful outfit with tokens from his career and a sporran, was a digital print by artist Rachel Maclean. The latest design has arrived courtesy of Paisley-born playwright and artist John Byrne.

All three of the massive portraits join the city’s official mural trail, with the original pieces set to be displayed at the People’s Palace off Glasgow Green.

Connolly told an upcoming BBC documentary about the project: “I’m probably more famous for being a Glaswegian than anything else I’ve actually done.

Rachel Maclean designed a digital print of Connolly. Picture: BBC

“It’s been great to have been home to take part in this and a real privilege to be part of these artists’ work.”

It is not the first time that the Big Yin has been honoured with a mural in his native Glasgow. In 2011, Kelpies creator Andy Scott unveiled a 20x16ft mural of Connolly in Anderston.